A talented actor from Southport landed two major TV roles just months after graduating from a performing arts degree.

Ryan Prescott, 22, has already hit our screens as the new gay love interest, Flynn, in popular ITV1 soap Emmerdale, having spent around two months filming the scenes from late November.

He is also appearing in last night's episode of Marchlands, ITV1's five-part supernatural drama series which features the likes of ER actress Alex Kingston and Jodie Whittaker from Cranford among its cast members, after bagging the part just before he graduated.

The former Stanley high School and Southport College student, who completed his BA acting degree at Liverpool's LIPA last September, told The Champion he had “been in the right place at the right time” to secure such high profile acting jobs so quickly.

“It also comes down to a mixture of knowing what you want and ceasing the opportunity,” added Ryan.

The actor, who started out in drama groups locally and previously took part in shows at Southport Arts Centre, is now starting to be recognised in the street for his part in Emmerdale.

“The storyline in Emmerdale was so big already that it's brough a lot of publicity,” he said. “I signed my first couple of autographs the other day which was weird.”

Speaking of his time on the Emmerdale set, Ryan said: “I absolutely loved it, everyone's really nice. It's like a big family, they are very welcoming.”

The star is now hoping that the two parts will open up other new doors for him, and said: “I would love to appear in a war drama like Band of Brothers, or in a TV series.

"And everyone would love to do a movie."

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